久久亚洲国产成人影院-久久亚洲国产的中文-久久亚洲国产高清-久久亚洲国产精品-亚洲图片偷拍自拍-亚洲图色视频

Global EditionASIA 中文雙語Fran?ais
World
Home / World / Europe

Volunteers bring forth light in dark of winter

By JULIAN SHEA in London | China Daily | Updated: 2023-12-26 09:51
Share
Share - WeChat
A volunteer delivers a hamper containing food and gifts to an isolated community member, in north London, Britain, Dec 25, 2023. [Photo/Agencies]

Christmas is a time associated with family gatherings, home comforts, and the giving and receiving of gifts and goodwill, but for many displaced people these are some of the most significant things missing from life.

Even for those who have reached the end of their geographical migrant journey, the administrative one, which could decide where they spend the rest of their lives, can continue for months or years, often spent in temporary accommodation, so Christmas can be a particularly tough time.

In towns and cities across the United Kingdom, volunteers play an important role in helping displaced arrivals feel at least slightly at home and giving them some seasonal cheer.

Bassam Mahfouz is the director of Refugee Action Kingston, in southwest London, which this year supported about 1,500 people who are either refugees or seeking asylum.

He said that during Christmas, more than ever, this and similar groups across the country could not function without the contribution of volunteers trying to make the lives of those less fortunate in the depths of winter that little bit less bleak.

"We have around 145 volunteers across all sections of the service we offer — language teachers, counselors, people who help with job hunting, even basic needs and feeding people — they all help," he said.

"Our clients' lives are tough enough at the best of times, but it's even more challenging at Christmas. Some don't know whether they have a future in this country, and some will be living in tiny, confined spaces, so there's no special Christmas deal for them there.

Community connection

"We know that social isolation can be as bad for your physical health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, so we bring people together in a community hub to learn and connect with one another, and to be happy in a way they can't be, stuck in their rooms."

Of the 1,500 people Refugee Action Kingston worked with in 2022-23, 16 percent came from Afghanistan, 15 percent from Syria, 14 percent from Iran and 9 percent from Iraq. Of them, 300 used English language classes, and 100 were helped to secure improved immigration status, so the work done by volunteers makes a life-changing difference.

"Our areas of operation include basic needs, such as legal advice and advocacy, to make sure people make appropriate representation in relation to their cases and what they're entitled to," Mahfouz said.

"Almost all these people come to us with trauma — the trauma they left behind, the trauma of how they got here, or the trauma of being processed. Sometimes you will see child migrants playing, and they act out what they've seen in the places where they've come from, and it makes you realize the horrors they've gone through.

"There's so much change, and so much for them to deal with, that we try to help in whatever little way we can, like offering somewhere for people to gather and feel warm and get fed at Christmas."

Refugee Action Kingston has been working with refugees and migrants for more than 30 years, and it is one of many such groups across the country doing their bit to make newcomers feel a little bit more secure.

"About half the people we work with have been given their status and remain in Kingston thriving, which is fantastic," Mahfouz said.

Most Viewed in 24 Hours
Top
BACK TO THE TOP
English
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.
License for publishing multimedia online 0108263

Registration Number: 130349
FOLLOW US
主站蜘蛛池模板: 鲁大师成人精品视频 | 久草在线中文最新视频 | 美女视频黄的免费视频网页 | 三级国产在线 | 男人天堂国产 | 午夜影院黄 | 91香蕉国产观看免费人人 | 六月丁香婷婷色狠狠久久 | 午夜香蕉成视频人网站高清版 | 欧美高清在线 | 欧美一级高清视频在线播放 | 最新在线精品国自拍视频 | 99re6这里有精品热视频在线 | 欧美一区二区二区 | 久热香蕉在线视频 | 国产一区二区三区手机在线观看 | 欧美成人性性 | 国产自在线观看 | 和老外3p爽粗大免费视频 | 她也啪在线视频 | 久久久久久久综合色一本 | 亚洲香蕉影院 | 精品综合久久久久久98 | 国产免费高清在线精品一区 | 国产欧美日韩一区 | 日本一区二区不卡视频 | 免费一级特黄3大片视频 | 日韩欧美成末人一区二区三区 | 欧美一级二级毛片视频 | 国产热久久精 | 国内精品久久精品 | 成人在线午夜 | 黄色一级网址 | 欧美怡红院免费的视频 | 国产亚洲精品影达达兔 | 国产伦精品一区二区三区网站 | 国产精品视频九九九 | 国产精品亚洲综合久久 | 波多野结衣一区二区三区在线观看 | 亚洲国产欧美日韩第一香蕉 | 国产精品久久毛片蜜月 |